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How much does it cost to join Long Beach State Archery Club (LBSAC)?
If you are interested in joining LBSAC but aren't quite sure if archery is for you, we encourage you to come by and will allow you to shoot several sessions at no cost. To continue shooting beyond this "trial" period, however, there is a $50 fee to join LBSAC. This fee covers equipment and target maintenance as well as coaching/instruction.

How much experience do I need to join LBSAC?
No prior archery experience is necessary! It's simply a matter of showing up to a Club practice time, saying that you've never shot before but are interested, and our coaches or experienced Club member will be more than happy to get you started. You'll likely be shooting within 15 minutes of showing up!

Do I need my own equipment to join LBSAC?
LBSAC provides all the equipment necessary to fully enjoy archery. However, if you have your own archery equipment, feel free to bring it to Club practices. Note that Club coaching and instruction is geared towards F.I.T.A.-style shooting (as that seen during the Olympics) rather than hunting or barebow shooting. However, the techniques taught in our Club are applicable to most, if not all, shooting styles and bow types.

Does archery require a lot of strength?
Archery isn't necessarily about strength. In fact, beginning archers are encouraged to practice using bows of low draw weight (how much resistance is felt as you pull the string). Low draw weight is in the neighborhood of 15 to 20 pounds. The reasoning behind this is to be able to concentrate on form and technique without having to also worry about physically over-straining yourself. If you can pick up a backpack full of textbooks off the floor, you can pull back a bow. Regular practice will eventually condition your archery muscles and you will have the option of increasing draw weight if necessary.

What kind of coaching/instruction will be available if I join LBSAC?
The Long Beach Archery Club and Team are trained in the National Training System (N.T.S.), which is taught at the Olympic Training Center and is practiced by many of the top shooters around the world. We have high performance coaches with many years of experience who have been formally trained in this method. Our Team also has several Level 2 (Intermediate level) instructors. These are in addition to our experienced Team and club members who are always available for advice on how to improve your shooting technique.

Does LBSAC compete?
While the Club as a whole does not compete, members of the Archery Team are selected from qualified Club members (see below). The Archery Team does indeed compete and trains throughout the year to participate in several indoor and outdoor tournaments. The Long Beach State Archery Team, including 75 other colleges and universities across the nation, competes under the umbrella of US Collegiate Archery (USCA).

What distances do you typically shoot?
If you've never shot before, we'll start you off anywhere from 5 meters to 9 meters. This distance will increase as you become more proficient. With respect to competition distances, indoor competitions are shot at 18 meters while outdoor competitions are at varying distances and can be up to 70 and sometimes 90 meters!

How can I join the Archery Team?
Once the Club has a good sense of who the regular attendees are and see that practice is progressing, those who are interested in joining the Team will shoot for score. This simply means that a potential Team member will shoot at a standardized paper target and scores will be tallied. A minimum score is required to join the Team. In addition, a potential Team member must be a full-time student of CalState Long Beach and maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 (3.0 for graduate students).

I didn't make the Team, now what?
Many students make the mistake of believing that Archery Club ends if they are unable to make the Team. This is not so! Remember: it's Club first, Team second! We are continually figuring out ways to maintain interest in the sport, foster archery skills, and cultivate an enjoyable experience for all members of the Club. Things such as weekly league shoots and after-club events are our attempt to achieve this. As a Club member, it is your job to speak out whenever you feel you are missing something from this experience. Without you, the Club does not exist!